Reconnecting
by MadHattess
Summary: For novA.  Two guys consider the facts of the past and the possibilities of the future.  Hints at possible future slashiness.


Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, not even a little bit.

Notes: The point of this was to create a situation of possibilities for an admittedly unlikely couple. Possibility, exploring or inventing (when you can get away with it), is what I think fanfiction is all about. Besides, I had a blast playing around with the conventions of yaoi and yuri (in as far as this harmless one-shot goes). As always, beta'd by the ever patient Crosswood- she has saved you from the Word Spewing Text Block of Doom!

**Reconnecting**

"Fancy meeting you here!" The tall, dark, and really rather pretty man exclaimed as he walked to the booth where another man was sitting.

A mop of brown and orange hair lifted for rebuttal, "You told me to meet you here."

That damned, dazzling smile wasn't just like it was when they were in high-school. No, now it had an extra nine years of experience. "Yes, and you came."

Eyes widened, full of realization. There had been a choice, but he'd fallen back into the habit without a second thought. Tate scowled. He wasn't that kid anymore. He didn't want to be that kid anymore.

"No, please," Reito' s voice lost its edge of banter, " don' t be like that. I told you that I needed some help and you're a decent guy, so you're here. There's nothing more to it than that."

Shoulders sagging, Tate breathed out his frustration, not quite relaxed but doing a fair impression. "Speaking of that, what was it that was so important?"

"I always did like a man of action."

"Reito…" the name was full of warning.

A sheepish grin, "Blame the company I keep." This time it was the elder's turn to breathe deeply. "There are a few things, actually. One's about the business. The other's really my problem."

"Oh?" Tate couldn't help being a little intrigued, "What's up at work? I thought that you and Ichida were supposed to be quite the power team- the new guys taking the courts by storm."

"We've done fairly well for ourselves." Reito was obviously pleased, and anyone that knew him would know it. Still, he kept his tone to a point where he couldn't be faulted for pride. "Actually, it's because we have done well that now we find ourselves needing to, in a way, expand our practice." He rushed on before Tate could ask any questions, "But, let's actually let that wait. I can ask you about this any time. What really called for meeting in person was… well…" He trailed off, gauging if he'd caught the other man's interest.

"Yes, I believe that was my question. You know, 'what was so important?' Why are we here?" He went on, "In this diner near a school neither one of us has been near for a long time now?" Tate was getting cross. He knew that the way Reito planned the drama of everything he said was both ingrained in his personality and also harmless. It still annoyed him to feel like he was constantly losing a game he didn't know the rules to.

Reito covered a grin with a moderately theatrical sigh; at the end of it however, his face was serious. "With everything that I've done, moving on and making a life for myself, I feel like I'm losing touch with something important. It's so strange," his eyes grew distant, "everything that happened then, it just seems more and more unreal… and then I start to feel terrified that I'll let it go, and that somehow will let it all happen again." There was a sheepish smile underneath sad eyes. "I guess it' s a bit crazy, but I felt like I had to get in touch with my past, and when I realized I might have an excuse to call you…"

"And you wouldn't be you if you didn't take advantage of opportunities," Tate was smirking, somehow both amused and exasperated by his old friend.

"Exactly," and there was that brilliant smile again. "I'd really like to catch up. Last I heard, you and Takeda were both talking about taking the police exams. Did that work? And Mai, are you still with Mai?" His words came out in a rush as he leaned slightly forward.

Tate shook his head, "One thing at a time!" When he was given a few minutes of silence, he put his thoughts together. "Yeah, actually, Takeda and I both took the tests- not at the same time mind you. We both passed too. He seems to really love it. He fit into the structure like he was born to it."

"But not you?" Reito filled in the unsaid statement.

"Not me," Tate acknowledged with a grimace. "So many of the regulations were counterproductive- counter intuitive even. They made it so hard to just go in, save the good guys, and stop the bad guys. I stuck it out for a while, but in the last year and a half I've been just drifting from job to job. I do alright, but when my plans fell through… well, I guess I still haven't decided what I really want to be when I grow up."

" Oh? Well, that's rather useful to know..." The leading statement had its desired effect.

"You're talking about this 'expanding' your firm is doing?" Tate was interested. There was only one option that made sense, but he wasn't sure if he could believe it. He wouldn't until he'd heard it said.

Reito leaned in just a bit more, doing his best to look conspiratorial, "Recently, we've been asked to take some more complicated cases, things where all the details aren't always nicely waiting in the paperwork." He really was going to say it. "At this point, we really need a staff investigator. We'd pay for the extra licensing, of course..."

Even half expecting the offer, Tate was still stunned. "And you thought of me? Surely there are already qualified people that would jump at the offer. What, do you want me to work for half what they'd ask or something?"

"We were thinking two thirds..." Reito laughed, "the offer would be in the accepted range for the position, though the starting salary would probably be towards the lower end of the spectrum. I imagine it would still be some small amount higher than you made at your old precinct." He paused, "As for why I thought of you: You're observant, athletic, and loyal- to those who deserve it. I figure that I just have to make sure I deserve your best efforts, and thus my firm will have a most competent investigator on our side."

To have a real purpose again was very tempting. Making more than he had in the police, which by far had been the most stable job he'd had? Well, that couldn't be spat at. After taking a few moments to ground down concerns about working for Reito, he nodded his head. He'd just make sure that the gopher of yesterday didn't make a reappearance. "I'll do it."

" Fantastic!" Reito's smile made Tate wonder if the man's lips ever got tired. Perhaps his mouth muscles were like heavy weight champions... "Oh, what's got you turning so red?"

"Nothing!" the soon to be investigator exclaimed. "My mind wandered! There's a chill!" He heard his mixed excuses contradict each other, and despaired. "Please just drop it!"

Taking pity, Reito did. "Perhaps we should move on... You don't seem to be wearing any symbols of marriage. Did things work out with Mai then?"

"Ah," this was a rather uncomfortable topic. But also, in another way, perhaps it would be nice to tell someone who might understand. "We were together for a while but… yeah, things didn't work out. She's great and we didn't have some awful, messy break up. There was just too much history. In the end I think she really wanted someone who didn't remind her of any of that stuff. And I... I just wasn't ready."

Reito sipped from a cup of tea that Tate hadn't noticed being set at the table. "So... Shiho. Did anything happen with her?"

Tate flinched; of course Reito would know that he'd wander straight to the girl whose crush couldn't seem to be broken. "We... well, we were something. For a while. I guess I was just drifting and she kind of picked me up. That didn't work out either," his sigh was filled with weariness. "That was a rather spectacular break up. I think we both coordinate visits home so that we won't accidentally run into each other."

Though his face remained between placid and sympathetic as Tate spoke, Reito's mind was obviously working. "I see, I see... too bad. Anyone else?"

"Here and there, nothing serious." Tate admitted, somewhat hesitantly. There was something he wasn't sure he liked in the other's expression.

"Well, that's to be expected," Reito's eyes were practically shining now.

"What do you mean by that?" Fully suspicious, Tate's eyes narrowed and his voice rose slightly.

The answer was given in such a blasé tone of voice it was hard to believe, "Well, you did always have a crush on me, after all."

" What?" Tate's voice almost squeaked.

"Come on," Reito leered, "clashing 'swords' like we did. There was so much passion there... then, of course, there's your lackluster relationships as you tried to be someone you weren't. Ah, the common follies of men."

"You're crazy," The brunet was grinding his teeth as he spat out the words.

"Hmm, perhaps..." Reito trailed off. "In any case," his tone was entirely too bright, "I'll see you Monday!"

It was then that Tate truly saw what he'd gotten himself into. And then he had to wonder- was he as upset as he should be? Did it mean anything if he wasn't? Was he really going to show up and spend God only knew how many hours with the most frustrating man he had ever met? He thought of the promise of renewed purpose, the chance to fulfill his potential, the money… and then answered the last question: He was.


End file.
